Michael Noonan
Question:185 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the estimated cost to the Exchequer of increasing the State subsidy to CIE to 5p per passenger carried; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23300/00]
Written Answers. - Public Transport.
Richard Bruton
Question:190 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the current level of subvention, inclusive and exclusive of capital charges on the capital provided by the State, in total and per passenger carried on Dublin Bus, on Bus Éireann, on the DART and on the mainline rail. [23045/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 190 together.
The amount of Exchequer subvention for CIE as published in the Estimates for the year 2000 is £115.181 million. The subvention is paid to CIE rather than to the individual companies in respect of the provision of socially necessary, non-commercial public transport services. The allocation of this subvention to the individual subsidiary companies is a matter for the CIE board. As the subvention is not based on detailed costings per route or on per passenger carried, it is not possible to estimate the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the State subsidy to CIE to 5p per passenger carried.
There is no capital element to the subvention.